Trying to come to terms with Gary’s announcement, Caroline Corcoran is transported back to 1996 - without even a Mark Owen poster to ease the pain

"I first saw Gary covered in jelly in the Do What U Like video my friend’s older sister had sneaked on for us as a treat" (Photo: Rex Features)

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I might not have been 15, crying on the phone to my best friend Vic under the sympathetic eyes of my giant Mark Owen poster, and wondering if the support helpline would come up on the landline bill, but oh - the feelings were the same.

This time there was no dramatic press conference, just a casual interruption to his praise for X Factor’s best performance of the night (Rough Copy, obviously) to say that this was his last year on the show.

But slowly it sunk in what this meant. My weekly dates with Gary were done.

Of course we would still see each other - well, I’ll still see him, though he will look quite tiny from Row Y of Wembley stadium where I’ll be swaying misty-eyed to Pray with a £7 plastic cup of red wine - but this was the end of an era.

Gary and I had had some wilderness years (Forever Love until Milton Keynes Bowl for the Take That comeback, really) but since he started on X Factor, slipping seamlessly into the Cowell role, I have had what can only be described as a strong lady crush on Gary Barlow.

It wasn’t always like this. I first saw Gary covered in jelly in the Do What U Like video my friend’s older sister had sneaked on for us as a treat; my Rimmel Heather Shimmer-covered mouth hanging open at this amazing sight , but back then I was distracted. By Mark, Robbie; even in certain moments by Howard. Whether it’s because his bright white hair was blinding me slightly or not, it’s irrefutable that I overlooked Gary.

But when he landed on X Factor , it was like walking into a pub back home and seeing the boy you never noticed from history having morphed into a 30-something stunner.

There were some lows (telling Tulisa she smelled of cigarettes/Christopher Maloney), but mostly Gary’s X Factor reign has been a beardy slice of judging perfection.

He’s deadpan, he’s funny, and he also uses his expert knowledge to say things that actually critique the performances, rather than just yelling at them about how they “brought it”.

He’s the panel’s natural leader, which was a job that was always going to be hard for anyone to take on, post-Cowell, and certainly couldn’t be inhabited by Louis, whose contributions to the panel stretch no further than reminding contestants of their ages and stating that in order for them to continue in a competition based on viewers’ voting, it will be necessary for some viewers to vote.

Of course, Louis says he’s off too (if his parting gift is leaving one of Westlife behind I’m taking my TV remote and following him out of there) and Sharon said she was only back for one series, so so far we just have (the legendary) Nicole.

She’ll get some co-judges of course, and maybe they’ll be good, or bad, or maybe they’ll even be Simon Cowell. But they will never, ever be Gary.